Tiara & Tempest Read online

  ~~~

  In the continent of Javanda there were many shipyards along the southern coast, and over one million four hundred eighty thousand (1480000) people had been killed by the crashing waters on their shore, and another seven hundred twenty thousand (720000) by the bitter cold. This included those who lived or worked in the destroyed sea ports and sunken ships.

  ~~~

  In the middle of the Ikkith Tar Ocean was Udovedaj-Pren Island. On that island were the great towers of the Temple of the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings, hidden in darkness, but still physically present.

  Both Lady Ismene and Lady Onora, who had remained on the island, saw the storm waters and felt the storm winds strike the island. They also saw as the waters seemed to stop in mid-air near them. It was, in fact, the towers that had blocked the waters from directly striking the two (2) women personally. The waters and wind had come far inland, and gave both women a fright at the danger that they represented.

  The waters struck at the many crystal towers of the invisible temple, along with the bitter cold wind. The towers were not damaged, but something near them was awakened.

  Flames flickered, and three (3) men appeared nearby the towers, seemingly from nowhere. The huge towers themselves reappeared out of the darkness along with them, strongly suggesting that they were associated with the men.

  The men were dressed in blue robes, as if they were high priests. Their skin had a blue pallor, like the ocean waters. Yet, their hands were red, as if burned.

  Lady Ismene and Lady Onora were surprised at the sudden re-appearance of the large crystal towers that they had seen previously, although their physical presence seemed to explain why the storm waters appeared to stop mid-air. They appearance of the men was altogether startling to the women, however. No one else saw the appearance of the men or the towers, not even from a distance.

  ~~~

  Standing on the deck of the Tidal Sovereign, Renato saw, in the darkness, the formation of many icebergs, before his very eyes. It was all at once magnificent and terrifying. Many ships out at sea on the Ikkith Tar Ocean were sunk by storm or iceberg impact before his eyes, and a quick count and multiplication in his head told him it had to be over a hundred thousand (100000) people who had been killed on the open waters nearby.

  Renato believed in very little about an afterlife, and wasn’t sure what would become of him if he died. However, he saw little hope in letting Victoria live a moment longer. He leaped toward her – unseen by anyone – and plunged a dagger into her heart. He would have struck at her neck but he saw that there were swordfighters, cloaked in darkness by other agents of Victoria, protecting her against precisely that.

  Victoria felt a sudden and horrific wound, and it would have been fatal. Yet, something seemed to sustain her. She did not know why, or how, but she endured the pain and injury far beyond what her tolerance should have been. Her heart continued to beat powerfully. It was, in fact, the demon known as Matatirot who was protecting Victoria.

  “My enemy is among us! Dreams of shadows and light have come true!” Victoria screamed in pain, remembering her earlier dream.

  Renato thought that Victoria was either mortally wounded or disabled, and he fled the ship, jumping overboard, only to be surprised by landing on an iceberg near the ship, rather than his own ship. Looking around in the darkness, and using his own powers of light, he saw that his ship was gone.

  ~~~

  “Master! A wound has been inflicted on me! Take me from here now!” Victoria screamed.

  The demon, Matatirot, heard her call. At this, he opened up a portal and the Tidal Sovereign went through it, and disappeared from the Ikkith Tar Ocean waters.

  ~~~

  Renato looked and saw the ship that he was standing on just a moment ago suddenly disappear. He knew not by what power – he thought that it was either by a power of darkness or by a power of bending light similar to his own.

  In a matter of minutes, the waters calmed and the wind died down leaving the air still. The chill ended and the greater darkness gave way to the ordinary infamous dark haze of the Ikkith Tar Ocean. The iceberg on which he was floating was, perhaps, five (500) feet long. He could only hope that it floated near enough to a solid land mass before it began melting.

  CHAPTER 18: Rebuked by the Torches of Majesty

  Lady Ismene and Lady Onora had been on the Udovedaj-Pren Island in the Ikkith Tar Ocean when the tempest struck the island. During this time, when the winds and water hit, they found themselves nearby the suddenly-visible-again towers of the Temple of the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings.

  The waters and winds were still striking the island during that time, and could be seen by the two (2) women. The coast was most definitely not clear, as the tempest was still raging around them, and the storm waters were beginning to flood the island. Lady Onora and Lady Ismene both began walking toward higher ground for safety.

  The (3) strange men in blue robes who had just appeared near the temple towers followed the women as they walked up a hill to escape the flood waters. The men each had skin with a blue pallor and hands that were red. The two (2) women looked, in surprise, upon the three (3) new arrivals.

  “What manner of spirits are you?” Lady Ismene asked them.

  “We are not spirits. I am Blazer Endrit, one of the Torches of Majesty. We have been awakened by the waters. We must strike at the enemy whose domain is the ocean,” one of them said.

  “I am Blazer Darakizar. The fires of the suns demand balance, and justice, between the sky and the sea. The enemy must be crushed,” another said.

  “I am Blazer Luken. The kings of the sky demand justice against the waters,” another said.

  “You appeared from nowhere. Your bodies appear to be otherworldly, with skin of blue and hands of red,” Lady Ismene said.

  “We are mortal, yet we are of the kingdom of the sky, in the service the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings,” Blazer Endrit said.

  “Then you are in service to the evil sky spirits,” Lady Ismene said.

  “We are only evil by the verdict of an evil judge, mortal woman,” Blazer Darakizar said.

  “The true judges are the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings,” Blazer Luken said.

  “There is only one true judge – the One True God. You are demonic deceivers,” Lady Onora then said. She did not share Lady Ismene’s spiritual perspective, but agreed that these new arrivals were dangerous.

  “Yes, I believe you are demons, or of their ilk,” Lady Ismene said.

  “The water demon strikes at the towers of our masters,” Blazer Endrit said.

  “Beware the one known as Matatirot. The waters are his dominion, where he plots his evil,” Blazer Darakizar said.

  “Are you his ally? Why else would you call us evil, mortal?” Blazer Luken asked of the women.

  “I am no ally to the demon of the waters. Nor am I an ally to demons of the sky or suns,” Lady Ismene said.

  “Then speak not against us, for we uphold the justice demanded by the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings. Their blue fire shall burn their enemies,” Blazer Luken said.

  “One demon can be an enemy to another, yet both are still of pure evil, and condemned eternally,” Lady Onora said.

  “We are not your enemies unless you act against us. Do not stand with the water demon,” Blazer Darakizar said.

  “The ultimate powers are the nine (9) blue suns,” Blazer Endrit said.

  “You are quite mistaken. Whatever power is in the suns is subject to the greater power of the One True God. The brightest suns did not light their own fires,” Lady Onora said.

  “The powers of the waters exceed those of the suns. The oceans have might that you should know not to question, or challenge,” Lady Ismene said.

  “You are not as wise as you think, mortal woman,” Blazer Endrit said.

  “Neither the suns in the sky nor the waters of the oceans are the greatest. Rather, they are creations of the One True God. Each of these lesser powers has its place. However, to deify it is more than wrong
– it is to endanger one’s soul. Do not place your ultimate faith in less than perfection,” Lady Onora said.

  “The might of the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings is such that the world is not in eternal winter, despite the weakness of the many red suns, and the treachery of the yellow suns. The blue fires in the sky above burn hot and bright so as to keep the land from turning to ice. You owe your lives to them. Yet, in your mortal ignorance, you practice your idolatry and mythology. The powers of the waters may be great, but the suns are greater still,” Blazer Endrit said.

  “Knowing the proper order of things is the only way to live justly,” Blazer Luken said.

  “Living according to the proper order of things is the only way to live through judgment,” Blazer Darakizar said.

  “You will be judged in time. If you are minions of the false deities, you will meet condemnation,” Lady Onora said.

  “The world is in danger. We shall confront this danger, using the powers bestowed upon us by the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings, and bring an end to the water demon’s evil. Then, you will see. If you do not understand that, you are the greatest fool,” Blazer Luken said.

  Lady Onora knelt down to pray, saying: “To The One True God, show us all the Majesty of Your Eternal Truth, Your Creative Love, Your Perfect Justice, Your Gracious Mercy. Shine down on us with Your Generous Spirit, that we may overcome evils, whether of the sea or the sky.”

  Lady Ismene was sensitive to the spirit world, being a drinker of the Zovvin Ocean waters. She observed a bright blue spiritual glow around Lady Onora, denoting that she was a holy woman of the most benevolent and wise sort. Ismene did not share Onora’s understanding of One True God, and believed the spirit world to have many benevolent beings of immense power as well as many malevolent ones of power to match. However, she knew that there was great power surrounding Onora. So did the Torches of Majesty.

  “She is a holy woman, indeed,” Blazer Luken said.

  “It is time for us to leave this place. Our enemy awaits us,” Blazer Endrit said.

  “When we bring our justice, the world will know it is right,” Blazer Darakizar said.

  At this, a spray of waters from the ocean were drawn toward the hands of the three ‘Blazers’ – whose hands were red as if they had been burned by fire. Their hands suddenly became ablaze with blue fire. It was as if the water transformed into fire in their hands. Then, streaks of blue fire propelled them forward quickly, like shooting stars. In an instant, they were gone from the island.

  Lady Onora saw what happened and said: “Many evils have gathered here. We must be on our spiritual guard.”

  “Indeed. Fires from the sky kingdom are no allies, even if they are enemies of the water demon. I have heard that name ‘Matatirot’ before – he is said to be a most dreadful demon. Pirates of the sea have been known to call to him, trading their souls for treasure,” Lady Ismene said.

  “No treasure is worth one’s soul. They are condemned by giving their souls to anyone other than their Creator,” Lady Onora said.

  “Bargains with demons always lead to ruin. Pirates are said to have thirteen (13) parts to their souls, and they can trade each one for a favor,” Lady Ismene said.

  “No. A soul is entire, not partial. To trade it away even once is to do so totally, in a single exchange,” Lady Onora said.

  “In all my years, I have seen many occurrences in the spirit world, and learned many of its secrets. I do believe that you may be right – no soul has portions to be traded. The pirates, however, seem to think otherwise,” Lady Ismene said.

  “Fool enough to live such an unjust and murderous life is fool enough to believe most anything,” Lady Onora said.

  “That may be true enough,” Lady Ismene said.

  “The suns have their places in the sky. Yet, they are mere fires. To worship them is to give them a higher place than they deserve. The might of the waters has been shown through the ages, such that they can be used to call to the suns, and even hear of their movements. No deity would be so weak as to be subject to the waters. It must be concluded that the suns are not deities, if they can even be said to be alive,” Lady Onora said.

  “Your thinking on this matter seems well reasoned. Yet, there is a power to the suns. Even more, these beings referring to themselves as the ‘Torches of Majesty’ – who proclaim to serve the blue suns – are powerful, indeed. Wherefrom do they get their powers? Demons?” Lady Ismene asked.

  “I have little doubt of it,” Lady Onora said.

  “They said that the world is in danger from the water demon. I believe that they meant he is the power behind Victoria,” Lady Ismene said.

  “That may be what was meant. No doubt, she has been uplifted by evil forces,” Lady Onora said.

  “The waters and wind do still strike at the island even now, and at those towers. Such intense movement of the waters was unseen until recent days,” Lady Ismene said.

  “That may mean that Victoria has the tiara and has already used it to wage her war,” Lady Onora said.

  “Our enemies have grown in number, then. The sunfire creature was sent away, but not destroyed. He may return in time,” Lady Ismene said.

  “Perhaps he will. But the powers of the waters may be, for the moment, the greater threat. Whatever is the case, the true power is wielded by the One True God, who is superior to either. The proper balance of powers will be restored, according to His Will,” Lady Onora said.

  “You trust in spirits, but not in yourself to make change. Are you not intending to act to make the world right again in whatever way you can?” Lady Ismene asked.

  “Whatever power that I have, or am to have, will come from the Creator, not from me. I must humble myself, and ask, in prayer, for guidance on how to act, and the power to do so. The knowledge and the power will come – not from me – but from Him. I am here to obey and to serve and to love the One True God – not to lead, but to follow,” Lady Onora said.

  “Then you must do what you believe to be proper. I believe we are in grave danger from these waters – which still rise around us. It is given to me to search for answers, and I shall do just that,” Lady Ismene said. At this, she drank anew from the Zovvin Ocean waters that she kept in a vial hanging on a chain that she wore around her neck. Then, she was energized and was more in tune with the spirit world than before. She began to read the motions of the spirit world around her, and she sensed strange things.

  Lady Onora drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean that she kept in a vial hanging on a chain worn around her neck. She was energized with the powers of song. Words came to her, and she began singing, calling out, and the music filled the air:

  Waters that flood, Fires that scorch,

  Powers of nature, beyond mortal might.

  Elemental enemies, striking the world,

  With hate and fury, they cause pain and fright.

  (Refrain)

  I believe in far greater. I believe in the strength He can bring.

  I believe in far more. I believe He rules everything.

  Darkness that hides. Bitter cold night that chills.

  Brightness that burns. Blazing hot day that kills.

  Elemental enemies, striking the world.

  With ice and flames, acting by evil wills.

  (Refrain)

  Temples filled with evil spirits who haunt.

  Servants of demons who torture and taunt.

  Elemental enemies, striking the world.

  With unseen powers they deceive and they daunt.

  (Refrain)

  Now I seek You, guide me to where I belong.

  Now I call You, guide me to fight this wrong.

  Tell me my place, whether at sea or on land.

  Tell me my time, that I may know when to stand.

  (Refrain)

  Be my sea and my breeze, sailing me to that place,

  That I may serve You, using gifts from Your Grace.

  Be my many suns, the warm light shining on my day,

  Th
at the words of Your Truth may be the words that I say.

  (Refrain)

  Let the oceans You created now start to rise.

  And grant us their power to clear these evil skies.

  Let their waters flow within the ones who are true.

  According to Your Will, bless those who serve You.

  (Refrain)

  Lady Onora’s song was powerful, and could be heard for some distance, even out to sea. The storm waters and winds in the Ikkith Tar Ocean, in the immediate vicinity around the island, became calm, even though this was in the middle of Victoria’s reign of terror upon that ocean. The flood waters on the island receded, and the ground, though wet, was far safer.

  Lady Ismene noticed the effect of the song and she said: “That song was powerful enough that even the storm around us subsided and the flood waters were sent back. The song will be heard at a distance, and a great change will come because of it.” She was highly impressed, even though her mind was halfway to somewhere else – somewhere in the spirit world.

  “Not my power, but His Power, calmed the storm,” Lady Onora said.

  ~~~

  Soon thereafter, the wind and the waves had abated enough on the rest of the Ikkith Tar Ocean that ships went out to sea, if only for their crew to learn if they could salvage the wreckages of ships and cargo and rescue passengers who might have survived by some immense good fortune. A transport ship approached Udeovedaj-Pren Island. This was because the captain had heard a beautiful song which guided him, even though the waters were still infamously difficult to navigate due to the visual distortions caused by the dark waters, even without a tempest raging. The song still echoed across the water, such was the power of the music.